| A Saab commercial says it all: "If you stand for | | | | vehicles in its lineup as Saab drew some criticisms and |
| something, then you will always find people against | | | | alienated Saab loyalists. This contributed to Saab's |
| you. If you stand for nothing, you will find nobody | | | | worsening sales figures in the US, an irony considering |
| against you and nobody for you." From what Saab | | | | Saab's record sales in Europe. |
| has dished out in its 57 year history, it is obvious which | | | | Saab's history is intrinsically linked with racing. Early |
| path Saab has taken. The unique flow and form of the | | | | Saab models were successful in rally sport especially |
| Saab is a heritage from the 16 aircraft engineers who | | | | during the 1960s, with such famous Saab rally car |
| founded the company in 1949, only one of whom had | | | | drivers as Erik Carlsson and Stig Blomqvist dominating |
| a driver's license. This is apparent in the cockpit-like | | | | the European circuits. Erik Carlsson finished first in the |
| interiors, the aerodynamic body and Saab parts, the | | | | the 1000 Lakes Rally (1957), Swedish Rally (1959), and |
| conscious mimicking of aircraft features in the overall | | | | German Rally (1959) in a Saab 93. A Saab 96 would |
| design of the car. | | | | later help him win the RAC Rally (1960, 1961, 1962), |
| A line in Tori Amos' song Ireland, "Driving in my Saab, | | | | Akropolis Rally (1961), and Monte Carlo Rally (1962, |
| on my way to Ireland", underlines the distinctly | | | | 1963). Stig Blomquist would continue this winning |
| European make of the Saab. The name Saab is | | | | tradition by placing first in numerous rallies from the late |
| actually an acronym that stands for Svenska Aeroplan | | | | 60s to the early 70s, riding the Saab 96 V4. In 1980, |
| Aktiebolaget or the Swedish Aircraft Company. After | | | | Saab stopped participating in car rallies when race |
| World War 2, demand for the company's warplanes | | | | cars became more specialized and offer limited value |
| declined and Saab switched to car production. On | | | | for the improvement of Saab's standard production |
| December 1949, Saab began to manufacture its first | | | | cars. Being a small company, Saab could no longer |
| ground-based vehicle, the Saab 92, so named | | | | support its racing activities financially and fielding |
| because it was the company's 92nd design since | | | | standard cars will mean losing to the more advanced |
| making aircrafts. The Saab 92 has aerodynamic lines | | | | race cars. Saab's involvement in car racing eventually |
| and a decidedly aircraft look - the windshield steeply | | | | led to several innovations. It pioneered the turbo engine, |
| curves upward then slopes down gradually to the rear. | | | | active head restraint systems, headlamp washers, |
| If you put wings on each side of the Saab 92, the car | | | | impact-absorbing and self-repairing bumpers, and |
| would fit right in among World War 2 planes. | | | | side-impact protection bars. Saab is aware of both its |
| Overproduction in the late 1980s resulted in severe | | | | racing and aviation origins and this consciousness |
| losses and General Motors later purchased the Saab | | | | continues to shape the refinement of Saab parts and |
| brand. General Motors' practice of rebadging existing | | | | models. |